Decades-old holiday tradition helps Lee’s Summit families: ‘Community in action’

How do you know it’s almost Christmas in Lee’s Summit? One sure sign that the holidays are just around the corner is the sight of local firefighters accepting donations on a well-traveled downtown street corner.

Starting Thursday, Dec. 18, and running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, members of Local 2195 Lee’s Summit Professional Firefighters will be on all four corners of Third and Douglas streets collecting money for their annual Boot Block.

With boots in hand and dressed in their firefighting gear, around 100 union members donate their time to collect money for Lee’s Summit Social Services, which helps low-income people in the community, as well as seniors and those with disabilities.

The street-corner fundraiser dates back to the 1980s and is held no matter the weather, said Bryce Buchanan, Lee’s Summit firefighter and president of the local union. Many of the volunteers working in shifts.

It has also become a tradition for many Lee’s Summit families. Some donors travel out of their way to place their contributions directly into the boots.

“They remember their parents coming when they were kids,” Buchanan said. “Not only has the Lee’s Summit Professional Firefighters been doing this for a long time, the citizens have been doing this for a long time. They’re the ones who make it happen.”

Others traveling through the intersection are new to the fundraiser. “Sometimes people come through and they don’t know what’s going on, and you get to tell them and they give, too,” he added.

The three-day Boot Block also gives the firefighters the opportunity to connect with local citizens, Buchanan said.

“The interaction with the community in a positive way is really the winning thing for us,” he said. “Our job is to help somebody on their worst day. So those interactions when somebody calls 911, it’s not a good time for the public.”

During the Boot Block, the firefighters are often joined by a special guest.

“We have a Santa Claus,” Buchanan said. “He’s an active member of our union. He’s here a lot, but sometimes he needs a break to refuel.”

Santa, wearing the traditional red suit and his own fire helmet, is especially popular with the children passing through the intersection.

“At the interaction you see when the kids come by and their parents get to roll down the window,” Buchanan said. “Sometimes the kids are shocked to see Santa down there.”

During recent fundraisers, the Boot Block has raised around $25,000 each year for Lee’s Summit Social Services — including one exceptional season.

“We had one really, really awesome year which had a single donor provide a $50,000 check,” the union president said. The anonymous gift coming in around three years ago.

For Lee’s Summit Social Services, the Boot Block helps the nonprofit continue to provide a high level of assistance to community members in need, said executive director Megan Salerno.

“The men and women of the Lee’s Summit Fire Department are the heroes here, giving hours of their time in downtown Lee’s Summit for this annual tradition,” she said. “It’s quite something to see — shoppers, families, kids still get excited to see our firefighters in full uniform with their boots. This is truly community in action.”

The Boot Block donations have gone to Lee’s Summit Social Services since the fundraiser started over 40 years ago.

“We think they have the most beneficial impact for the community,” Buchanan said. “At holiday time they provide toys for kids who need them. They also have a food bank, they do a backpack program, they help out with rent and utilities.”

Another beneficiary of the Boot Block is the downtown business district.

“People come here specifically for the Boot Block and drive out of their way to give,” he added. “Hopefully by being in the holiday spirit and giving they’re able to make downtown a little bit more lively.”

Over the years, the fundraiser has updated its giving options, since fewer people routinely carry cash and checks.

“We now have cards we hand out with the QR code,” Buchanan said. “We take checks, cash, coins and various electronic payments.”

The local union president encouraged anyone interested in seeing the firefighters to swing by the Third and Douglas intersection this week.

“The impact that it has whether you can give 10 cents or $10, it adds up over three days,” he added, “and the impact that amount of money can do for Lee’s Summit Social Services, it can’t be overstated.”